(Truly) Free photos and graphics

We are often so overwhelmed with the complexities of building courses that we don't take the time to make them beautiful and aesthetically engaging. A captivating graphic or photo can actually improve engagement of online learners with the curriculum.

Wading through general Google searches (even Creative Commons) looking for the right license (no copyright, no limits on usage, no need to attribute) can be burdensome. Enter sites like Pixabay and Pexels. There are over 130 sites that allow you to use freely any graphic in their collection. Pixabay and Pexels have so much I rarely have to look further.

Photos or graphics don't have to informational to help engagement. Even a few ornamental graphics can make learners more inclined to stick with the course.

As a reminder, we should never upload a graphic or photo without alt-text for screenreaders. This helps keep our content fully ADA accessible!